Floating seat



Dec. 23, 1941.v T. RANDOLPH 2,257,668

FLOATING SEAT Filed Nov. 8, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l 6 T T7. f' l *9T*WITNESS Dec. 23, 1941. T. RANDOLPH 2,267,668

FLOATING SEAT Filed NOV. B, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 einem; es, isti UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE FLOATING SEAT Thomas Randolph, Tacoma, Wash.Application November 8, 1939, Serial No. 303,464

2 Claims.

My invention relates to new and useful irnprovements in seatconstruction.

An important object of my invention is to provide a seat constructionthat is particularly adapted to be incorporated in automotive vehicles.

Another object of my invention is to provide a seat construction whereinthe back and seat por tions of the said seat construction -receive as aunit the vibrations imparted thereto by the m0- tion of the vehiclechassis, thus greatly increasing the comfort and material enjoyment cithe person seated thereon.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a seat constructionof the above-mentioned character wherein the back portion may beangularly adjusted relative to the seat portion to permit the personseated thereon to assume a reclining position.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide a seat constructionthat is inexpensive to manufacture and eicient and eicacious in theperformance of its duties.

Other objects and advantages cf my invention will be apparent during thecourse of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andin which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughoutthe saine;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof,

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the same,

Figure 4 is a lfragmentary transverse sectional I.

view, taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 6,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the back adjusting mechanism,

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view` taken on the line 6-8 of Figure2,

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view, taken on the line 1--1 of Figure2, and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken on the line8--8 of Figure 1.

n the accompanying drawings, wherein for spaced apertures to receive thethreaded screws 55 I8, or the like, which lixedly attach the same to asuitable base I 9.

As illustrated in Figure 2, the casings are positioned in spacedparallel relation and are adapted to receive the chair 20 therebetween.The chair 20 includes a substantially rectangular trarne 2| adapted tosupport the seat'cushion 22, which may be constructed of any suitablepadding material 23 such as horsehair, sponge rubber, or the like.Plates 24 and 25 extend laterally from the sides of the frame 2l,through the recesses 26 and 2l in the inner walls I2 of the casings I8and I I, andthe outer ends thereof are biiurcated to receive theinverted U-shaped brackets 28. The arms 29 and 36 of the brackets arespaced slightly inwardly from the front and rear walls I4 and I5 of thecasings and extend through aligning openings in the spaced brackets 3land 32. Rollers 33 and 34 are journaled Within the brackets 3I and 32 inslightly spaced relation and are formed with peripheral recesses whichreceive and frictionally engage the sides of the arms of the U-shapedbrackets to hold the same in alignment and permit the seat 2D to have alimited vertical reciprocation relative to thecasings Ill and II. Theextremities of the brackets 28 extending below the brackets 32 are screwthreaded to receive the lock nuts 355 and a rubber washer 36 isinterposed between the nut and the said brackets. Oil pads 37 arecarried by the arms 29 and 3U above the brackets 3| 4and 32; the padsmay be of a sell-lubricating graphite material or of felt to permit thesame to be impregnated with oil to keep the arms and rollers lubricatedat all times. If the pads 3l are made from a felt material the oil maybe introduced through the horizontally aligning openings 38 in the innerwall I2 of the casings.

The supports 39 are riveted, or otherwise secured, to the bottom wallsIl of the casings and the overload springs 40 are seated thereon andextend upwardly therefrom. The spring seats 4I are formed with anannular flange 42 which bears against the upper extremity of theoverload springs and a cupular central portion 43 is slidably receivedwithin the compass of the spring. The substantially smaller springs 44are seated within the cupular portion 43 of the spring seats and theupper ends thereof are held in engagement with the plates 24 and 25 bythe lugs 45.

The back cushion 46 comprises a backing plate 4l having the front facethereof suitably padded as at 48. Spaced hinges 49 connect the backingplate 41 and the frame 2I of the seat to permit the back 48 to beangularly adjusted relative to the seat. A catch bar 50 is riveted, orotherwise secured, to the backing plate 41 and the lower extremity 5|thereof extends downwardly and inwardly below the seat 22 to engage thevertically disposed rack bar 5I the lower end of which is pivotedbetween the brackets 52 and 53 depending from the underside of the seat.The coil spring 54 is interposed between the bottom of the seat 22 andthe lower end 5i of the catch bar to hold the back normally in avertical position. The end 55 of the rod 56 is pivoted to the rack baradjacent the free end'thereoi and the end 51 of the rod extendsforwardly and terminates in an enlarged head portion 58 normally seatedin the recess 59 at the front of the seat.

Thearm supports 60 extend upwardly from either side of the seats 22 andthe upper `edges thereof are provided with suitable pads 6I. The armsupports 60 and pads 6l do not engage the back 46 so that the said backmay be pivoted rearwardly independently of the seat to permit a personseated thereon to assume a reclining position. Y

The foot rest 62 is pivotally mounted between the casings Ill and Iladjacent the juncture of the rear and bottom walls thereof and extendsangularly upwardly from its pivot to engage the inwardly extendingsupporting pins 53. A metal apron 64 is secured to the back 46, asillustrated in Figure 3, and the lower extremity 65 thereof extendsdownwardly and inwardly under the seat 22 to engage the transverse rod65.

The operation of my device is as follows:

The normal motions or vibrations of the chassis of the vehiclewill besubstantially absorbed by the small springs 44; however, if the vehiclepasses over a relatively large obstruction in the road, the heaviershock will be absorbed by the overload springs 40.

The spaced rollers 33 and 34 engage the arms 29 and 30 of the U-shapedbrackets 28 to hold the seat against horizontal movement but permit thesame to be freely movable in a vertical direction. The vertical movementof the seat, however, will be resiliently limited by the action of thesprings 40 and 44. Lock nuts 35 and washer 36 effectively limit theextent of the upward movement of the seat, and the oil impregnatedwashers 31 permit the vertical movements of the seat to be eiected ln asubstantially quiet and noiseless manner. By virtue of the fact that theback 41 is hingedly mounted to the seat porn tion 22, the seat 20 willmove as a unit as the springs 40 and 44 accommodate themselves to thevibrations of the vehicle.

In many seat constructions springs are incorporated in the seatstructure so -that the seat operates independently of the back and in amanner whereby the back of a person seated thereon is continuallyrubbing up and down against the back of the seat. This distressing anduncomfortable circumstance has been eliminated in the4 wardlythe rackwill engage with the end 5I of the catch bar to hold the back in thedesired position. The-back may again be moved to the vertical positionby the simple expedient of again disengaging the rack bar from the catchbar so that the resilient action of the coil spring 54 may operate tomove the back once more into right angular relation with the seat.

If the seats are incorporated inta bus structure, a plurality of theseats Vwill be positioned in spaced relation one behind the other; thefoot rests 62 are therefore provided to accommodate the foot of theperson in the rearwardly posipresent construction by combining the backand tioned seat while the apron 64 will prevent the legs of the personfrom engaging either the catch bar or rack bar 5|.

Itis to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown anddescribed, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and thatvarious changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts, may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention, or thescope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. In a Vehicle seat construction, spaced parallel essentially box-likehousings the confronting vertical walls of which are provided withspaced vertical slots, a horizontally disposed seat member positionedbetween the housings having horizontally extending lugs projecting intothe housings through the said slots, depending U-shaped bracketscarried'by the portion of the lugs disposed within the housings, spacedpairs of rollers journaled within Ythe housings for receiving the armsof the U-shaped brackets therebetween to permit essentially frictionlessvertical movement of the seat relative to the housings, spring meansdisposed within the housings and engaging the lugs of the seat toresiliently limit the vertical movements of the said seat, and avertically disposed cushion member carried by the seat member andmovable therewith.

2. In a vehicle seat construction, spaced essentially box-like housingsthe confronting vertical walls of which are each provided with spacedvertical slots, a horizontally disposed seat mem'- ber positionedbetween the housings, said seat having horizontally extendinglugsprojecting into the housings through the said-slots, depending U-shapedbrackets disposed within the housings and connected to the said lugs,spaced pairs of rollers journaled within the housings, one pair ofrollers being provided for each arm of the brackets and each of the saidpairs receiving a respective one of the bracket arms therebetween topermit vertical movement of the seat relative to the housings,vertically disposed springs mounted within the housings below the saidlugs, spring seats positioned in the upper ends of the springs, andrelatively weaker springs seated in the spring seats and engaging thesaid lugs, said first and second-mentioned springs resiliently limitingthe vertical movements of the said seat, a normally vertically disposedcushion member hingedly carried by the seat and movable therewith, andmanually operable means for holding the last-mentioned cushion member invarious angular adjustment relative to the said seat.

THOMAS RANDOLPH.

